Fountain toothbrush

ABSTRACT

A toothbrush includes a handle connected to a head and bristles projecting from the top of the head. A channel runs longitudinally through the handle between a first opening and a second opening such that the first opening is in communication with the second opening through the channel. The first opening is arranged at a proximate end of said channel and said second opening is arranged at a distal end of the channel, the proximate end being closer to the head than the distal end. The channel and the first and second openings are arranged so that a substantially downward running stream of water directed into one of the first opening and the second opening is redirected through the channel and out of the other of the first opening and the second opening to form a fountain when the toothbrush is held substantially horizontally. A direction of a flow of the fountain at the other of the first opening and the second opening having an upward component so that a user, i.e., holder of the toothbrush can easily reach the fountain for oral rinsing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a toothbrush having a channel forredirecting at least a portion of a faucet stream.

Brushing teeth is an essential part of any oral hygiene routine. It isrecommended that brushing be performed after every meal. However, if aperson is not at home, a cup may not be readily available for rinsingafter brushing.

Even if a cup is available, cups collect dirt and require frequentcleaning and may not be desirable for use. The use of paper cups solvesthis problem but is not environmentally friendly as it creates waste.Water directly from a faucet may be used for rinsing. However, it isdifficult to get the water from the faucet to a user's mouth without acup. It is difficult to get enough water using cupped hands.Furthermore, the use of cupped hands may create splashes and spillage.It is also awkward to reach the stream exiting the faucet directly.Accordingly, there is a need for a simple and sanitary means for oralrinsing after brushing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a toothbrush which facilitatesoral rinsing without the problems associated with the prior art.

The object is met by a toothbrush having a handle connected to a headand bristles projecting from the top of the head. The handle has a firstend proximate the head and a second end arranged distally from the head.A channel runs longitudinally through the handle between a first openingand a second opening such that the first opening is in communicationwith the second opening through the channel. The first opening isarranged at a proximate end of said channel and said second opening isarranged at a distal end of the channel, the proximate end being closerto the head than the distal end.

The channel and the first and second openings are arranged so that asubstantially downward running stream of water directed into one of thefirst opening and the second opening is redirected through the channeland out of the other of the first opening and the second opening to forma fountain when the toothbrush is held substantially horizontally. Adirection of a flow of the fountain at the other of the first openingand the second opening having an upward component so that a user, i.e.,holder of the toothbrush, can easily reach the fountain for oralrinsing.

According to one embodiment, the direction of the flow of the fountainat the other of the first opening and the second opening isapproximately perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the handle at theother of the first opening and the second opening. Alternatively, thedirection of flow of the fountain at the other of the first opening andthe second opening may have a component directed toward the second endof the handle distal from the head.

Both the first and second openings are arranged on one side, i.e., onthe top or on the bottom of the handle.

The channel may be incorporated in an electric toothbrush. Thetoothbrush may further comprise a pump arranged in the handle forpumping fluid in the channel toward the second opening. An electricmotor is connected to the pump for driving the pump. The electric motormay further be connected to movable bristles for driving movement of thebristles.

The second opening may be smaller than the first opening to facilitatecollection of water at the first opening and to provide sufficientvelocity of the fluid flowing out of the second opening. A ratio of anarea of the first opening to an area of the second opening is in therange of 1 to 16.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed description considered in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that thedrawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as adefinition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should bemade to the appended claims. It should be further understood that thedrawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwiseindicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate thestructures and procedures described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote similarelements throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a toothbrush according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the toothbrush of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the toothbrush of FIGS. 1 and 2 held under afaucet;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a toothbrush according toanother embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a toothbrush according to yet anotherembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 6 a and 6 b are sectional views of handles showing features of thechannel according to two embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of yet another embodiment of the toothbrushaccording to the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of yet another embodiment of the toothbrushaccording to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a toothbrush 100 according to an embodiment of thepresent invention. The toothbrush includes a handle 104 and a head 102.The handle 104 includes a top 104 a and a bottom 104 b. Likewise, thehead 102 includes a top 102 a and a bottom 102 b. Bristles 112 arearranged on the top 102 a of the head 102.

The handle 104 has a first end 114 proximate the head 102 and a secondend 116 arranged distally from the head 102. A channel 106 extendslongitudinally through the handle 104 between a first opening 108 and asecond opening 110. Both the first and second openings are arranged onthe top side 104 a of the handle 104.

As shown in FIG. 3 the first opening 108 is placed facing upstream in awater stream 118 flowing from a faucet. At least a portion of the waterstream 118 enters the channel 106 through opening 108 and is redirectedthrough the channel 106 to form a fountain 120 flowing out of theopening 110 in the top 104 a of the handle 104. As shown in FIG. 3, thefountain 120 is directed upwards and toward the second end 116 of thehandle 104. The channel 106 and second opening 110 may alternatively bearranged so that the fountain flows out of the second opening in adirection that is approximately perpendicular to the top 104 a of thehandle 104. The toothbrush may alternatively or additionally be designedso that the water stream 118 directed into the second opening creates afountain directed upward from the first opening.

The handle 104 of the toothbrush 100 in FIGS. 1 and 2 is preferablytranslucent, at least in the area of the channel 106, so that a user candetect the presence of any dirt, mold, or other obstruction in channel106, and thus relieves any sanitary concerns that an otherwise reluctantuser might have. Furthermore, the handle 104 may be made of a materialthat does not promote the growth of molds such as, for example, nylon.Mold requires some food to grow. Therefore, nylon or any other materialhaving a slick or non-sticking surface does not promote mold growthbecause food washes off of it.

The size of the first and second openings 108, 110 and the cross-sectionof the channel 106 must be small enough so that the overall size of thehandle is small enough to fit in a toothbrush holder, and must be largeenough to supply a sufficient amount of water for oral rinsing.Furthermore, the first opening 108 may be larger than the second opening110 to facilitate collection of water from the faucet stream 118 andincrease the velocity of the water exiting the second opening 110. Theratio of the diameters of the first opening to that of the secondopening is in the range of 1 to 4. Accordingly, the area of the firstopening 108 may be up to 16 times as large as that of the second opening110. In a specific embodiment, the openings 108, 110 are circular, thediameter of the second opening 110 is approximately 3.35 mm, and thediameter of the first opening is approximately 10.0 mm. Since thediameter of the first opening is approximately three times the diameterof the second opening, the area of the first opening is approximatelynine times the area of the first opening. Although the openings 108 and110 are depicted as being circular, the openings may also be oblong oroval to better fit within the width of the handle 104.

During brushing, it is possible that toothpaste and/or toothpaste sudsmay enter the channel 106 through the openings 108, 110. However thetoothpaste and toothpaste suds are prevented from accumulating in thechannel 106 because the user rinses the channel 106 each time the userorally rinses. Nonetheless, it may be desirable to prevent the entranceof toothpaste and/or toothpaste suds into the channel so that thefountain 120 includes only clean water. FIG. 4 shows a furtherembodiment in which the openings 108 and 110 are arranged at a bottom104 b of the handle 104 to prevent toothpaste and/or toothpaste sudsfrom entering the channel during brushing. Another way to preventtoothpaste suds from entering the channel is to relocate the firstopening closer to the distal end 116 (e.g., a position approximately inthe middle of the longitudinal length of the handle 104). According to afurther embodiment, the distance between the bristles 112 and the firstopening is at least 5 cm. In a preferred embodiment, the distance of thefirst opening 108 from the bristles 112 is at least ⅓ of the distancefrom the bristles 112 to the second end 116 of the handle 104. In yetanother embodiment, both the first and second openings 108, 110 arearranged on the half of the handle that is distal from the head as shownin FIG. 5.

The channel 106 may be gradually tapered along its length from thediameter of the first opening 108 to the diameter of the second opening110 as shown in FIG. 6 a. Alternatively, the end of channel 106 maytaper to the diameter of the second opening so that the entire length ofthe longitudinal extension of the channel 106 through the handle 104 hasconstant cross-section as shown in FIG. 6 b. Although the openings areassumed to be circular in this embodiment, the openings 108, 110 and thecross section of the channel 106 may comprise any shape.

FIG. 7 discloses a further embodiment in which a channel 206 isconnected between openings on a bottom side 104 b of a handle 104.Furthermore, a pump 200 is added to the channel 106. The pump may forexample include a pump as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,429, theentire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The pumpmay alternatively comprise any known or hereafter developed pump. Thisembodiment is useful when the stream 118 flowing from the faucet orother source has low pressure. A battery power supply 202 may beincorporated into the toothbrush. Alternatively, the toothbrush 100′ mayhave a connection for an external power source (not shown). An electricmotor 201 drives the pump 200. The electric motor may optionally alsodrive movement of the bristles 112. A switch 208 is operativelyconnected to the motor 201 so that a user can selectively turn the pump200 on and off. The channel 106 may also be incorporated into anelectric toothbrush without the pump. FIG. 8 shows another embodiment inwhich the channel 106 and openings 108, 110 as shown in FIG. 1 areincorporated in an electric toothbrush 100″. In this embodiment, thebattery 202 and motor 201 are used for moving the bristles 112 and arenot connected to a pump for moving the flow of the water through thechannel 106. Although the openings 108 and 110 are shown on the topside, the openings may alternatively be arranged on the bottom side asin the embodiment of FIG. 7.

Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamentalnovel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodimentthereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutionsand changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and intheir operation, may be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expresslyintended that all combinations of those elements which performsubstantially the same function in substantially the same way to achievethe same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, itshould be recognized that structures and/or elements shown and/ordescribed in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of theinvention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described orsuggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It isthe intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scopeof the claims appended hereto.

1. A toothbrush, comprising a handle portion connected to a headportion, each of said handle portion and said head portion having a topand a bottom, and bristles projecting from the top of said head portion,said handle portion having a first end proximate said head portion and asecond end arranged distally from said head portion, said handledefining a channel running longitudinally therethrough between a firstopening and a second opening such that said first opening is incommunication with said second opening through said channel, said firstopening being arranged at a proximate end of said channel and saidsecond opening being arranged at a distal end of said channel, saidproximate end being closer to said head portion than said distal end. 2.The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said channel and said first andsecond openings are arranged so that a substantially downward runningstream of water directed into one of said first opening and said secondopening is redirected through said channel and out of the other of saidfirst opening and said second opening to form a fountain when saidtoothbrush is held substantially horizontally, a direction of a flow ofsaid fountain at said other of said first opening and said secondopening having an upward component.
 3. The toothbrush of claim 2,wherein the direction of the flow of said fountain at the other of saidfirst opening and said second opening is approximately perpendicular toa longitudinal axis of said handle at the other of said first openingand said second opening.
 4. The toothbrush of claim 2, wherein the otherof said first opening and said second opening comprises said secondopening and the direction of the flow of said fountain at said secondopening has a component directed toward said second end of said handle.5. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein both of said first and secondopenings are arranged on said top of said handle.
 6. The toothbrush ofclaim 1, wherein both of said first and second openings are arranged onsaid bottom of said handle.
 7. The toothbrush of claim 1, furthercomprising a pump arranged in said handle for pumping fluid in saidchannel toward said second opening.
 8. The toothbrush of claim 7,further comprising an electric motor drivably connected to said pump. 9.The toothbrush of claim 8, wherein the bristles are moveable relative tosaid head portion and said electric motor is also drivably connected tosaid bristles.
 10. The tooth brush of claim 7, wherein said secondopening is smaller than said first opening.
 11. The toothbrush of claim1, wherein said one of said first opening and said second opening issmaller than the other of said first opening and said second opening.12. The toothbrush of claim 11, wherein a ratio of an area of said oneof said first opening and said second opening to the other of said firstopening and said second opening is in the range of 1 to
 16. 13. Thetoothbrush of claim 11, wherein an area of said one of said firstopening and said second opening is approximately nine times greater thanan area of the other of said first opening and said second opening. 14.The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein both the first and second openingsare arranged on a longitudinal half of the handle that is distal fromsaid head portion.
 15. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein saidtoothbrush further comprises an electric motor having connections forreceiving an electric power supply, and movable bristles actuatable bysaid electric motor.